Disney Genie is just... rubbish

[Leia77]

Originally Posted by Bozza

You're talking in riddles and/or failing to answer simple direct questions, so it's quite difficult to understand what you are trying to say, frankly!

See more...

Jeezo. Ok, I’ll bite. Im not talking in riddles at all. Quite clear I was saying no need to be calling folk negative as they are not fully on board with the Genie stuff- seeing it so often on here. Not sure what is confusing about that. I’m not getting into the rights or wrong of genie or if folk will enjoy their hols. Again leaving it there.

[loldis]

Originally Posted by Hammerstone

One question,

When you purchase Genie+, does each party member have to do it of their own accord? IE I can't pay for the wife at the same time as me?

And presumably when I do purchase Genie+, If im the one making the LL reservations, My selections would apply for both, similar to any other reservation? (I'm assuming it asks you your party size before hand)

See more...

For the booking, you can definitely select who wants to ride from your party when making them.

I'm not sure on the original purchase as most reports I've seen are from people on their own. But I suspect this can be at party level as well, since they'll know that not everyone in groups will have phones (e.g. children) but will want to purchase.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

Major problem appears to be, get a ride, want to go on another good one, availability is hours in advance. This is probably as a result of selling unlimited numbers. I’ve seen all the Vloggers trying to get Slinky for example, and it’s like 4-5pm.

See more...

That's no different to the old fastpass systems though. In the "good old days" everyone was using the fastpass system and therefore availability of the popular rides was limited. You'd get one fastpass, want to go on another good ride, and the availability was hours in advance.

Back in the days of paper fastpasses, paper fastpasses used to run out by around 11am for the popular rides. You'd get into the park just after 9am, get your first paper fastpass with a 11am return time, then when getting your second paper fastpass at 11am you'd find that some of the popular rides weren't available at all. And some were only available at 5 or 6pm.

So, ignoring the major issue that you have to pay for Genie+, this new system isn't really any worse than previous systems.

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

This is probably as a result of selling unlimited numbers.

See more...

Unlimited numbers of guests were able to use the previous fastpass systems as well.

I suspect if Disney limited the number of Genie+ it sold then some people would complain about that. Because they'd find at busy times that the Genie+ would run out and they wouldn't be able to buy it. A bit like how people used to complain that fastpasses for some rides would run out or how boarding groups for ROTR would run out because of limited availability.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

As I say, I’ll see at Xmas, when it’s busy (and should be of greatest benefit) and do a thorough critique. If it’s as great as some seem to think it is, I’ll duly report that. If it’s abysmal I’ll report also (at risk of being called negative).

See more...

I don't think it's great. But, ignoring the cost, I don't think it's terrible either.

I suspect availability of Genie+ slots on the day at Christmas time will be just as much a problem as getting fastpass slots on the day at Christmas time used to be. So, yeah, I suspect you will struggle to skip the line at some rides, just like always.

Remember the old days when people used to fastwalk to TSM to secure their fastpasses because they knew that within an hour all those fastpasses for TSM would be gone? Well, it'll probably be like that for the popular rides this Christmas. Just with less fastwalking and more smartphone tapping instead.

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by Leia77

Jeezo. Ok, I’ll bite. Im not talking in riddles at all. Quite clear I was saying no need to be calling folk negative as they are not fully on board with the Genie stuff- seeing it so often on here. Not sure what is confusing about that. I’m not getting into the rights or wrong of genie or if folk will enjoy their hols. Again leaving it there.

See more...

I have not called people explicitly negative, in terms of their overall personality make-up, just because "they are not fully on board with the Genie stuff".

However I have said some people have been negative towards Genie from the get-go. Others on this same thread, posting around the same time as me this morning, have made the very same observation.

Maybe these people have a general negative mindset to life, or maybe they are generally very positive. I have no idea - I don't know them. I can only assess their reaction towards this specific thing.

And, it's understandable why some people have been negative - we all hold WDW dear, humans often react badly to change and we're being asked to spend money where we previously didn't have to.

I'm an optimist and a pragmatist though, so I haven't approached it in the same way even though, as above, I can understand why some people have.

[ElsasGloves]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

I don't think it's great. But, ignoring the cost, I don't think it's terrible either.

I suspect availability of Genie+ slots on the day at Christmas time will be just as much a problem as getting fastpass slots on the day at Christmas time used to be. So, yeah, I suspect you will struggle to skip the line at some rides, just like always.

Remember the old days when people used to fastwalk to TSM to secure their fastpasses because they knew that within an hour all those fastpasses for TSM would be gone? Well, it'll probably be like that for the popular rides this Christmas. Just with less fastwalking and more smartphone tapping instead.

See more...

This is my concern with using genie+ at Christmas - I’m worried that you will have to pay for genie+ else you’ve no chance of getting on anything, and even after booking your first ride will then struggle to get anything until hours and hours later, whereas at least with fast pass you could book in 3 rides. I’m not sure I’ll even get 3 out of it so will be VERY interested in watching how it turns out this Christmas

[Tinkerbell]

When this was first announced I was in the disgusted of Tunbridge Wells camp. Not so much the system etc but the costs, but I've been disappointed with Disney service etc for a few years. In my years of staying onsite I've seen "stuff" for want of a better word deteiriate in particular service. I've ranged from never going back to I wanna go tomorrow, I admit my schizophrenic attitude towards WDW.
Having watched vlogs I've thought that many have tried to not like it, I watched one who said but I don't want to do that ride. I like Molly because she likes and dislikes it. I've been converted that it's not the dreadful thing that I thought

Do I want to pay big fat no, do I appreciate that for many this is the final straw, of course ...for me if I'm honest this doesn't put me off going... No DDP free or paid is my red line. We all have them. If DDP returns I'll be back using Genie possibly plus possibly fancy rides TM fiddle faddling my way around if not I'll move on

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by ElsasGloves

This is my concern with using genie+ at Christmas - I’m worried that you will have to pay for genie+ else you’ve no chance of getting on anything, and even after booking your first ride will then struggle to get anything until hours and hours later, whereas at least with fast pass you could book in 3 rides. I’m not sure I’ll even get 3 out of it so will be VERY interested in watching how it turns out this Christmas

See more...

Remember that there will be no more people with access to Genie+ than there were people who had access to Fastpass+ in the past. In fact, I suspect there will be slightly fewer people using Genie+ than used Fastpass+ in the past because they won't want to pay extra.

If everyone managed to secure 3 Fastpass+ at Christmas time then they should also be able to secure at least 3 Genie+ slots at Christmas.

Just like before, the popular rides will probably get booked up first. So, depending on when you book those Genie+ slots, you may find that you can only get some of the less popular rides. But you should have just as much chance of getting a few Genie+ slots as you did with Fastpass+ slots. It's just that the method and process is different.

(Of course, this assumes the number of Genie+ slots is the same as the number of Fastpass+ slots in the past. I'm guessing that Disney have simply swapped over Fastpass+ slots to Genie+ slots).

[Shooby doo]

Nimbus to be fair if it's a direct comparison to FP+ then I'm definitely not paying for it!
Especially in MK case, on our last few trips, once we had used our pre-booked FP+ the pickings were pretty slim for the next ones & certainly none that you would class as headliners. Having watched Molly & Quincey, doing one with & one without, apart from Peter Pan there were no waits that were total game changers & TBH I'm not zig zagging all over a park. On that particular day Molly actually finished first & that included a 85 min PP wait but the outcome was that Quincey with LL & spent less time queuing but had fallen foul of the 2 hour window.
Now I do feel sorry for those that have never been but apart from Rise & Ratatouille, I've done the rest multiple times & to be totally honest of those only FOP is worth paying for & personally I don't think a little over 60secs is worth $10 in 7DMT's case.
I actually now see Disney as the same as doing the Universal parks without EP, get there early & as it gets busier decide what my max wait time will be.
SD

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by Shooby doo

Nimbus to be fair if it's a direct comparison to FP+ then I'm definitely not paying for it!

See more...

As I've said a few times, the only real problem with this new system is that you have to pay for it.

If it was free then I personally don't think it's any worse than the previous systems. And not really any better either. Just 'different', in some ways.

Now, sure, some might have preferred fastpass+ because it meant you could prebook stuff months beforehand. But equally some people disliked that about fastpass+ and preferred the old paper fastpass system where you booked things on the day. This new system sort of merges the two systems - you book on the day and get the next slot available like the old paper fastpass system, but you do it all online and don't have to rush from ride to ride like fastpass+. It takes the benefits of both as well as some of the limitations the paper fastpass system had (eg. the 2 hour window) and mashes them together. And then, sadly, charges you extra to use it.

But, yes, if you're going at a busy time then after the first couple of Genie+ slots the pickings are going to be pretty slim. Like they were back in the FP+ days and earlier.